Turntables on the Hudson and Giant Step are teaming up again, to ring in the spirit of Spring. This Friday, April 30th at Littlefield, we present a night of dancing reminiscent of all the good times by the waterfront, but this time on the Gowanus. DJs Nickodemus and Erik The Red will be spinning the hottest music from around the globe with Nappy G and Amon on percussion bringing the dancing to a feverish frenzy. Head to Ticketfly and be sure to pick up a copy of the Turntables On The Hudson – 10 Year Anniversary double CD or Nickodemus’s Sun People Remixed album with your advance ticket.

To Dām Funk, funk is more than music, “it’s a lifestyle — it’s being ‘free’ at all times,” he says. As a kid, Dām would listen to records of varied styles and learn the drum parts. In early high school, he also picked up the keyboards. Today, he is here to usher in what he brands “modern-funk.”

“My vision is to hopefully have people respect Funk music again as a viable style and way of life,” says Dām.

Inspired by Los Angeles, his home town, Dām cultivates a style that is both spacey and futuristic but that also pays tribute to Slave, early Prince, P-Funk, as well as the likes of Frank Zappa and Todd Rundgren, to name a few. Using synths, drum machines, and “elbow grease” to craft his work, Dām keeps it analog and old school to the highest degree – “I like the work involved.” Eff’a Protools.

Kon & Amir Present Off Track Volume III: Brooklyn, to be released next Tuesday (4/27) on BBE, finds the New York/Boston-based pair shining light on another diverse array of underexposed vinyl. The eclectic African disco and soul cuts Amir highlights on his disc are Americanized by style but inherently authentic in feel, demonstrating the very best of the region’s dance music from the period following Fela Kuti’s mid-70s creative peak.

Kon and Amir will be hosting the official NYC release party at Le Poisson Rouge this Saturday, May 24th as a part of their I Love Vinyl series. On the 1s and 2s for the evening will be Amir, Ge-Ology, The Twilite Tone, Scribe, OP!, and Jon Oliver. Arrive early and ready to dance; entry is free before 10:30pm.

We’re fast-forwarding the Gilles Peterson World Wide radio show to catch up, which means you get 2 shows at once today. That equals 4 full hours of high-quality GPWW.

In May 5th’s show, Gilles features 40 magical tracks, including some of his clear favorites like Gil Scott Heron, José James, Quadron andSBTRKT along with new ones like Twilight Tone, Kyle Hall, and Ezel.

Moving swiftly along to May 12th’s show, Gilles starts with a new track by Cee-Lo called “I Want You,” written by Jack Splash. Then he gets into some Betty Davis, Fatima featuring Dam-Funk, Sofrito, Nas & Damien Marley, and new music by Paul White, Addison Grove, and Karizma. (And listen for the Giant Step shoutout – swoon!)